| 1st San Diego Film Critics Society Awards (1996) |
| Best Film: |
| Fargo |
| Best Director: |
| Joel Coen - Fargo |
| Best Actor: |
| Kenneth Branagh - Hamlet |
| Best Actress: |
| Frances McDormand - Fargo |
| Best Supporting Actor: |
| Armin Mueller-Stahl - Shine |
| Best Supporting Actress: |
| Lauren Bacall - The Mirror Has Two Faces |
| Best Foreign Language Film: |
| Ridicule (French) |